Prepare for CMMC Level 2, DFARS, and DoD Contract Requirements
Organizations that handle Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) must comply with NIST SP 800-171 to protect sensitive government data. Many companies are not yet ready for full CMMC certification, but they must first implement and document NIST 800-171 controls to build a compliant foundation. We provide full NIST SP 800-171 gap assessments, maturity scoring, documentation support, and remediation planning to prepare organizations for SPRS submissions, CMMC Level 2 certification, and future third-party audits (C3PAO).
What Is a NIST SP 800-171 Gap Assessment?
A NIST 800-171 Gap Assessment identifies where your organization currently stands compared to the 110security controls defined in NIST SP 800-171.The objective is to determine your maturity score, identify deficiencies, and build a remediation roadmap aligned with CMMC 2.0, DFARS, and federal contracting requirements. Our assessment includes:
Review of all 14 NIST 800-171 control families
Evaluation of your existing cybersecurity policies and systems
Identification of non-compliant areas and required improvements
Creation of an actionable System Security Plan (SSP)
Development of a Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M)
NIST Self-Assessment Score calculation for SPRS submission
Understanding NIST SP 800-171 Requirements
NIST SP 800-171 focuses on protecting CUI in non-federal environments. It covers 14 core control families:
| NIST 800-171 Domain | Control Examples |
|---|---|
| Access Control (AC) | RBAC, MFA, Zero Trust |
| Awareness & Training (AT) | Employee cybersecurity awareness |
| Audit & Accountability (AU) | SIEM, log retention, audit trails |
| Configuration Management (CM) | Standard baselines, patching |
| Identification & Authentication (IA) | Credential management, SSO, MFA |
| Incident Response (IR) | IRP documentation, response reporting |
| Maintenance (MA) | Controlled maintenance, sanitized equipment |
| Media Protection (MP) | Data disposal, encryption |
| Physical Protection (PE) | Facility access, data center control |
| Personnel Security (PS) | Screening, termination protocols |
| Risk Assessment (RA) | Vulnerability scans, threat analysis |
| Security Assessment (CA) | Continuous monitoring, compliance |
| System & Communications Protection (SC) | Encryption, firewalls, DLP |
| System & Information Integrity (SI) | Malware protection, EDR, XDR |
NIST SP 800-171 Assessment vs CMMC
| Feature | NIST SP 800-171 | CMMC 2.0 Level 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Framework | NIST controls | NIST + certification |
| Mandatory for CUI | Yes | Yes |
| Requires certification | No | Yes |
| C3PAO audit required | No | Yes |
| SPRS score required | Yes | Yes |
| Documentation required | Yes | Yes (more extensive) |
| Supports government contracts | Yes | Yes |
A NIST 800-171 Readiness Assessment is the foundation of CMMC Level 2 compliance.
Most organizations begin with NIST compliance before attempting CMMC certification.
Our NIST SP 800-171 Assessment Services
1. Documentation Review
We evaluate current policies, procedures, technical documents, and compliance status to determine alignment with NIST 800-171.
2. NIST Self-Assessment Score Calculation
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SSP and POA&M Development
- System Security Plan (SSP)
- Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M)
- Incident Response Plan
- Access Control Plan
- Asset Inventory and Configuration Records
- CMMC Readiness Report
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Gap Analysis and Remediation Planning
- Technical solutions (EDR/XDR, SIEM, MFA, encryption, IAM)
- Policy creation and documentation
- Procedural and governance improvements
- Required tools and security platforms
- Cloud compliance for Microsoft 365, Azure, AWS, GCC High
5. Continuous Compliance and Managed NIST Support
We monitor, maintain, and update your compliance status with ongoing support, reporting, documentation updates, and cybersecurity management.
Who Needs NIST 800-171 Compliance?
You must comply with NIST SP 800-171 if you:
Process Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)
Are a DoD prime or subcontractor
Hold contracts with DFARS cyber clauses
Intend to pursue CMMC Level 2 certification
Host ITAR or export-controlled information
Operate in defense engineering, manufacturing, or aerospace
Why Organizations Trust Us
NIST SP 800-171 and CMMC assessment specialists
Registered Practitioner Organization (RPO) capability
Certified Registered Practitioners (RP) on staff
Experience across Microsoft GCC High, Azure Blueprint, AWS GovCloud, Office 365 CMMC
Full lifecycle compliance: Assessment → Remediation → Audit Support → Continuous Monitoring
Ready to support C3PAO audit preparation when needed
Get Started with NIST 800-171 Readiness
We help organizations build strong cybersecurity foundations that prepare them for CMMC Level 2certification and future government contracts.
Request a NIST 800-171 Gap Assessment
We will evaluate your current compliance posture, calculate your score, and build a path to certification readiness.